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<DIV><FONT size=2>Hello Ian:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>In our work in S. Ontario we likely get more rain than you do
but we have had some extended droughts in the past nine years. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>We always mulch our restoration areas (the whole planting area
not just the plant areas) with wood mulch that has been tub-ground as fine as
possible but not too fine (or too course). Too fine and it disappears too fast;
too course and it does not knit together to form a moisture barrier and is
difficult to spread evenly by heavy equipment. Experience has shown that
mulch that is up to 12 inches plus deep has not resulted in any problems. In
fact we have found that, over time, the deeper the mulch the richer the
resulting soil and the faster the plantings grow. (Mulch is not mounded up
around plant stems.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>We have used compost as a soil amendment to a mineral soil
(about 2:1 to 3:1 soil/compost). The soils in our area can be high clay so the
planting soils are saturated until the growth of the plantings begin to draw
moisture out of the soil.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Hope this is helpful.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>Mark Peterson, BES, MLArch, OALA <BR>Mark Peterson & Associates,
Landscape Architect<BR>(519)743-2990
<A href="http://www.openspacesolutions.com">www.openspacesolutions.com</A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=IWilson@kelowna.ca href="mailto:IWilson@kelowna.ca">Ian Wilson</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=urbNRnet@LIST.TREELINK.ORG
href="mailto:urbNRnet@LIST.TREELINK.ORG">urbNRnet</A> ; <A
title=canufnet@list.web.net href="mailto:canufnet@list.web.net">Canadian Urban
Forest Network</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, August 13, 2007 6:16
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [CANUFNET] Water retention and
tree planting</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial size=2>I grow trees in a
semi-arid area (on average, 11 inches of rain and 4 inches of snow per
year)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial size=2>One of our biggest
challenges with tree planting is water. Many of our plantings are
irrigated and we also water with a truck, but we are trying to reduce water
usage.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've looked at
various products in the past for improving the water retention in the planting
hole.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial size=2>Has anybody tried
using various soil amendments, such as "Water-lok", clay, or even just compost
or organic matter amendments, and can you pass on your
experiences?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial size=2>thanks,
Ian</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=282160922-13082007><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><SPAN lang=en-ca>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Ian Wilson, MPM, RPF,
Certified Arborist</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Urban Forestry
Supervisor</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Parks<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">City of </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Kelowna</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> Recreation, Parks and Cultural
Services<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Phone: (250)
469-8842</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"></SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Fax: (250)
862-3335<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Parks <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><st1:Street><st1:address><SPAN
lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">1359 KLO
Road</SPAN></st1:address></st1:Street><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN
lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Kelowna</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">, B.C., V1W
3N8<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><A
href="http://www.kelowna.ca/">www.kelowna.ca</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><A
href="mailto:iwilson@kelowna.ca">iwilson@kelowna.ca</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P align=left></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </P>
<DIV> </DIV>
<P>
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